“I won’t put myself in that situation again,” he said. “Honestly, there will never be the urgency to do it. I don’t care if I’m dead broke on the beach somewhere, because I understand—I truly believe in my heart—there’s too many things to do in this world.”

“It’s a life recipe. It’s not just basketball,” he said. “So I fell in love with the recipe—with the fact that I can put my energy into something, watch myself get better, and as a team we can work toward a common goal and change things.” […] That’s why he says he’s in no rush to go back to the NBA. It offers nothing he needs. For him, the league has never been the source. It’s merely a delivery mechanism.

Still, basketball tugs at him. Sanders missed the game so much that he purchased Lakers season tickets about 14 rows off the floor. “I had to watch Kobe this year,” he grinned. […] Sanders refers to himself as retired from the NBA, but there’s no concealing the mirth in his voice whenever the sport—the activity of playing basketball—enters the conversation. And when that happens, retired or not, he speaks in the present tense. If Sanders truly does not love basketball, like some skeptics suggest—well, then, he puts on a very convincing illusion.

Since leaving the NBA in 2015, Larry Sanders has been making strides in his own music. After receiving a production credit on PARTYNEXTDOOR’s new album, P3, the former center’s decision has been given more validation.

Sanders: Honestly, probably like a week or two weeks ago. You know, they do a tracklist and they told everyone who made the album, so it eventually got back to my camp.

What did you feel when you found out?

Sanders: I mean, it’s amazing. You know me, I just started getting into making beats like five, six years ago, honestly, while I still was in the NBA. But I never had an artist that really cut a record from something I made. For a major artist like PARTYNEXTDOOR to do that, it was exciting. When I heard he put it on the album that was the icing on the cake.

If there was any hope of Larry Sanders returning to the court this season after agreeing to a buyout with the Bucks, those hopes have been quashed. In a candid video, Sanders explains why he left millions of dollars on the table to pursue “his true purpose in life.” Sanders did not rule out an NBA comeback, however, saying, “I love basketball, and if I get to a point where I feel I’m capable of playing basketball again, I will.”

Milwaukee Bucks center Larry Sanders has finalized a buyout agreement on the remaining three-plus years of his contract, clearing the way for him to leave the NBA and work on the personal issues that derailed his career, league sources told Yahoo Sports.

As part of the buyout, Sanders will leave with approximately half of the $44 million extension he signed in 2014, a league source told Yahoo Sports.

Sanders has had repeated violations of the NBA’s anti-drug policy and hasn’t shown an inclination to immediately return to the league. Sanders could become a reclamation project for an NBA team next season, but his desire to play and ability to meet league requirements needs improving.

At his best, Sanders has proven to be a dominant defensive player and an emerging offensive threat. Sanders has been marginally productive since signing the extension. Nevertheless, suspensions and injuries have derailed his career over the past two seasons with the Bucks.

Sanders had been suspended for the final five games of the 2013-14 season for a positive marijuana test. Under league rules, his next positive test called for the 10-game suspension without pay.

Buyout discussions have begun between the Milwaukee Bucks and Larry Sanders that would make the recently suspended big man a free agent, according to league sources.

“Soon you all will know the truth,” Sanders tweeted last week. […] When asked last week about Sanders’ status, Bucks coach Jason Kidd told local reporters: “That will be determined during the break.”

NBA players don’t face suspensions for violating the league’s anti-drug policy until their third such violation. Sanders was suspended for the final five games of the 2013-14 season and, through the most recent suspension, forfeited more than $1 million of his $11 million salary this season.

Milwaukee Bucks center Larry Sanders has had nothing short of a nightmare season so far. He’s been suspended for a minimum of ten games after violating terms of the NBA’s anti-drug program, and there were rumors that he was ready to just quit basketball forever.

Milwaukee Bucks center Larry Sanders plans to use his 10-game suspension for violating the NBA’s anti-drug program to deal with his core personal issues and learn to live without marijuana use, league sources told Yahoo Sports.

Sanders wants to continue his basketball career and has been coming to the realization league rules won’t permit that unless he stops testing positive as part of the league’s drug program, sources said.

Whether Sanders will play again in Milwaukee remains unclear. A new ownership group and new coach have found a measure of success without needing to depend on Sanders. The revitalized Bucks could seek to pursue a contract buyout with Sanders, but that’s a discussion that’s yet to take place with Sanders’ representatives.

At his best, Sanders has proven to be a dominant defensive player and an emerging offensive threat. Sanders has been marginally productive since signing a four-year, $44 million contract extension in 2013. Nevertheless, suspensions and injuries have derailed his career over the past two seasons with the Bucks.

Sanders had been suspended for the final five games of the 2013-14 season for a positive marijuana test. Under league rules, his next positive test and suspension called for the 10-game suspension without pay.

From year to year, there is a general expectation that certain players will not live up to prior years’ performances, just as there are players who will burst onto the scene. The identification of these players prior to a draft and over the course of the long season is as essential to a fantasy team’s success as is identifying key sleepers late in the draft.

Joakim Noah, Chicago Bulls

This one was easy to see from a mile away, but Noah was nevertheless overvalued in most drafts this year. Noah is still the heart and soul of the Bulls, but it would have been impossible for him to live up to last year’s across the board numbers, and downright ignorant of fantasy owners to expect it. With the return of Derrick Rose, the emergence of All-Star-to-be Jimmy Butler, and the signing of Pau Gasol, the Bulls are no longer running the offense through Noah.

As a result, he is no longer leading NBA centers in assists, the scoring is way down, and the rebounding has declined. He is still the same player, but the Bulls have a better team around him. Fantasy owners should also pay close attention to Noah’s injury situation, as he failed to play more than 66 games prior to last season’s healthy 80 games. Owners need to adapt to this year’s Noah and lower their statistical expectations.

Deron Williams, Brooklyn Nets

It’s hard to believe that some fantasy owners still had expectations for Williams, perhaps swayed by an all too common theme of “finally healthy” that we’ve actually been hearing for a few years. At just 13.9 points, 6.3 assists and 1 steal per game, accompanied by a rib injury and Jarrett Jack sniping some of his playing time, D-Will is simply not a desirable guard to own.

Don’t expect that to change anytime soon, even after he returns from his most recent malady. His 39.6 field-goal percentage is a career low, and if you are counting on him to give you anything in the second half based on his past All-star performance, you’ll end up disappointed. The 30-year-old will still be productive in his career, but at a level several tiers down the point guard totem pole.

Larry Sanders, Milwaukee Bucks

Season averages of 9.8 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.8 blocks in 27 minutes per game would make fantasy owners pretty happy, but Sanders is now two years removed from that break-out season that landed him his huge contract. Still, some fantasy owners had reasonable expectations that he could return to that form this season after everything went wrong last year. Dominoes kept falling however, and even more has gone wrong this year.

Various injuries have accompanied inconsistent play, and Sanders isn’t even traveling with the team at this point due to personal reasons. Sanders will tease owners in drafts again next year with clear late-round sleeper potential. Owners can safely look elsewhere this season though, as coach Jason Kidd has settled on minutes for his big men and there won’t be much room for Sanders to make an impact on fantasy box scores even if he finds his way back to the court.

Lance Stephenson, Charlotte Hornets

After shooting 49 percent for the Indiana Pacers last season, Stephenson was expected by some to make strides and take on an increased scoring role in Charlotte, but everything unraveled quickly. He is shooting just 39 percent from the field and a miserable 15 percent from three, rendering him almost useless to fantasy owners after leading the League in triple-doubles last season.

He simply hasn’t fit in with his new teammates and a fresh start is pretty much necessary at this point. Rumors of the Hornets shopping him around have been loud and clear for a while now, so it’s only a matter of time before he is dealt. Fantasy owners would be wise to keep an eye on where he ends up, because the right situation could lead to a return to last year’s numbers or better for the seemingly volatile guard. There’s simply no reason for Charlotte to keep him.

Dwight Howard, Houston Rockets

Dwight hasn’t been bad, but he’s nowhere near elite at this point and owners expecting a return to such a level have been left with a sour taste in their mouths. It’s possible injuries are playing a role, but 1.6 blocks per game, his lowest average in nine seasons, has to be concerning. His 11.2 rebounds per game, which would be excellent by most players’ standards, is his lowest since his rookie season. Howard has shown flashes of dominance at times with some huge box scores, but it might be time for owners to resign themselves to the reality that 14-rebound and nearly 3-block averages are in the past.

This being said, Dwight gets a little too much hate directed his way due to his tumultuous season with the Los Angeles Lakers. He wasn’t the reason that team failed, even though the media and that team scapegoated him. As long as he is healthy when the Playoffs roll around, the Rockets are a title contender. Chances are that he can get his numbers up slightly for fantasy owners by season’s end as the Playoffs near. He’s still a strong fantasy option, but your fantasy team’s title hopes would be stronger if there are a few stars ahead of him on your depth chart. In the end though, a disappointing Dwight Howard is still better than a lot of players.

Kevin Love, Cleveland Cavaliers

Love has dropped from 26.1 to 17.9 points per game, and is pulling in only 10.4 rebounds per game after averaging 13.7 over the course of the last four seasons in Minnesota. His field-goal percentage and assist numbers are down as well. One might think that his efficiency would improve with the defenses’ attention on LeBron James and Kyrie Irving, but that simply hasn’t been the case.

A drop in production was to be expected; after all, we saw it with Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade in Miami. But fantasy owners probably weren’t expecting this quick decline amidst a disappointing 20-20 start by the Cleveland Cavaliers. Don’t expect much improvement from his current line of production moving forward as the Cavs are currently constructed, but Love would still flourish in the right situation.

Terrence Jones, Houston Rockets

After coming out of nowhere last year in his rookie season, expectations were high for Jones coming into the 2014 campaign. He got off to a strong start, but it only lasted a week before a major injury took him out. He hasn’t returned yet and the Rockets haven’t exactly been forthcoming with his timetable. He should still return this year but unfortunately, the emergence of Donatas Motiejunas and the acquisition of Josh Smith are likely going to keep Jones in a bench role even if he does find his way back to the court. Fantasy owners can’t help but be disappointed that Jones wasn’t able to be the sleeper many expected him to be, but he is still going to be worth keeping an eye on if he gets healthy.

Tony Parker, San Antonio Spurs

Parker’s decline to 14.8 points and 4.7 assists per game has been a result of some combination of age, injury, and Gregg Popovich strategy. While there’s almost no doubt that Tony Parker will be back to being Tony Parker when the playoffs roll around, fantasy owners are suffering as he takes his time getting back into form during the regular season. He makes for an interesting buy-low candidate, as he certainly can’t perform worse than he has, and his long career suggests improvement is likely. Keep in mind though that he will likely sit some games out at the end of the season, and that his minutes will be kept in check at times to keep his 32-year-old legs fresh.

Dan Hanna is SLAM’s weekly fantasy basketball columnist and a life-long Bulls fan. Follow him on Twitter @i_am_danhan. For advice on your fantasy team, post questions in the comments section.

Earlier in the season, the Detroit Pistons lost 13 games in a row and were outscored by 108 points during that span. Fast forward to the present, and the Motor City appears to have a legitimate NBA team again, with the Pistons standing at 7-0 since waiving forward Josh Smith. It couldn’t have been that simple, could it?

This night and day reversal of fortune is truthfully pretty telling about the team’s poor chemistry with Smith, and the fantasy implications of the move have become resoundingly clear.

Greg Monroe looks to be reestablishing his value after returning to the starting lineup. For some reason, conditions in Detroit have always seemed to fail him, but that’s not going to be the case from here on out. Additionally, he is playing for what he probably hopes is a maximum contract from someone this summer. Not that anybody has ever played harder when they are playing for a contract…

Monroe has nevertheless been able to slide comfortably into a more prominent role and has put up four straight double-doubles. This includes a monster performance against the Dallas Mavericks in which he dropped 27 points, 18 boards, 6 assists, and a block. More nights like these will be coming, and his minutes should continue to rise. He has always deserved to be a starter for this team, and now he’s proving why.

If you own Monroe and are thinking about selling high, don’t do it. If you want to think the Pistons are just on a hot streak, that’s your prerogative. But the seven-game win streak has included impressive victories over the Cavs, Mavs and Spurs. They are playing like a team and have found a second wind (or technically, they’ve found their first wind). Sure, they’re still going to lose some games but the 7- or 8-seed in the Eastern Conference are very attainable. Don’t be surprised to see the Pistons representing the Motor City in the Playoffs this year.

Brandon Jennings would be a huge part of that. He has always been a player who has gone through hot and cold streaks, but this season has featured a lot of the hot and his performance since Smith left has been pretty outstanding. His field-goal percentage has never impressed his owners, but it’s sitting at a 49 percent clip since Smith left (under 39 percent with Smith). A blind man could see that he will have more opportunities with the ball in his hand without Smith next to him. His explosive scoring ability and 85 percent from the charity stripe keep his value up, and his hot streaks keep owners happy (enough). It’s not like anybody is drafting him above his value.

Sometimes you have to take the good with the bad. Be careful about attempting to sell high on him; his value can only go so high given his up-and-down history so you are better off as an owner by playing to his positives and hoping for the best.

Jennings’s backup, DJ Augustin, is a similarly streaky and is occasionally worth taking a look at in daily leagues and situations. If Jennings isn’t feeling it on any particular night, DJ has been there to pick up the slack, and has even been deployed ahead of Jennings at times by coach Stan Van Gundy to teach the latter a lesson or two.

It needs to be pointed out that it’s not fair to blame everything on Josh Smith. That’s not really the implication here. Andre Drummond has nearly played his way into untradeable territory since a slow start, but he started to turn his season around before the Pistons waived Smith. Fantasy owners would be wise to view the early season struggles as nothing more than a mirage that will be forever forgotten.

The currently fiery Drummond is the real deal and is averaging 16 rebounds per game over his last 10 to go along with a few 20-point games and his usual blocked shot numbers. More importantly, he continues to get his field-goal percentage up, which had been hovering around an uncharacteristic 40 percent a month into the season. The opportunities will be there for Drummond to begin returning elite top-round value for his fantasy owners. In keeper and dynasty leagues, he is simply untradeable.

Let’s get back to Smith. His move to the Rockets has resulted in play and stat lines that would most closely resemble a roller coaster. At this point, it’s hard to see the benefit in owning Smith in most fantasy leagues. When the Pistons were playing him heavy minutes, he actually held decent value despite a mediocre shooting percentage, as poor decision making has never really truly translated negatively into fantasy box scores. The Rockets originally promised him a starting role, but it simply wasn’t working out from a chemistry standpoint, and they are currently bringing him off the bench.

It’s possible he could work his way back into that starting lineup eventually if he gets more comfortable with his new teammates; he is after all a talented player who can help a team if he is deployed correctly. At that point, he might begin to regain some fantasy value. One telling stat is that his free-throw percentage is sitting at only 44 percent, despite the fact that he shot 72 percent from the line during one season with the Atlanta Hawks. That disparity reeks of an issue with concentration, a lack of caring, or both. If he is able to mentally accept his new role with the Rockets, he can be a big boost to their aspirations as a team. He can be a great player. As an individual however, his days of doing whatever he wants on offense appear to be numbered.

While it seemed as though Smith’s acquisition would have killed the value of some incumbents on the Rockets’ roster, Donatas Motiejunas has retained his low-end value and has been starting instead of Smith recently. If Terrence Jones is actually able to return to the team this year, it will provide for an intriguing minutes discussion. Trevor Ariza‘s value couldn’t get lower, and he is a candidate to bounce back from here on out. His 36 percent from the field and 31 percent from three-point land don’t come close to last year’s 46 percent and 41 percent, respectfully (did someone mention something earlier about playing better in a contract year?).

In the end, the Rockets added a unique piece in Smith and will be better in the long term for it. He should be able to help them and they are getting him for pennies on the dollar. Meanwhile the Pistons subtracted that same player and are clearly better for it. This is just the latest example that proves that chemistry and the team a player plays for can impact his performance on the court, and likewise his fantasy value.

Quick Bits

It’s hard to imagine JR Smith or Iman Shumpert providing anything to their new Cavs squad but complimentary play, so they can be ignored in most fantasy leagues. Larry Sanders can be dropped in standard leagues, but don’t forget about him—he could return and get right back in the groove. Zach Randolph is getting closer to a return for the Grizzlies, and nothing suggests that the reliable Z-Bo will be anything but a big-time boost for fantasy owners.

Carmelo Anthony could miss the rest of the season, but it might actually be just as likely that he returns from this short rest fully healthy and ready to dominate. It’s impossible to say, but if you can acquire Melo for a very small price, it might be worth the gamble. Just don’t trade anybody you actually care about.

Keep a close eye on Hassan Whiteside, who is taking advantage of his opportunity thanks to the lack of Heat big men with 14 blocks in the last four games. Al Jefferson will continue to sit out for a while, which has led to a mini-emergence by Cody Zeller. Fantasy owners had already noticed his brother Tyler Zeller come into his own earlier in the season for the Boston Celtics. In other news, Deron Williams is done as a top fantasy player (for real this time), and with a new rib injury. After a surprising—but really not that surprising—benching, it’s finally time to move on.

Dan Hanna is SLAM’s weekly fantasy basketball columnist and a life-long Bulls fan. Follow him on Twitter @i_am_danhan. For advice on your fantasy team, post questions in the comments section.

The Milwaukee Bucks are signing former All-Star power forward Kenyon Martin to a 10-day contract, according to league sources.

The move will reunite Martin with Bucks first-year coach Jason Kidd after they teamed up together in New Jersey — with both on the floor — to lead the Nets ‎to consecutive trips to the NBA Finals in 2002 and 2003.

The former No. 1 overall pick in the 2000 NBA draft has averaged 12.5 points and 6.9 rebounds ‎in 14 seasons. He auditioned for the Bucks last week and is expected to help them try to fill the frontcourt void left by the ongoing absence of center Larry Sanders, who has returned to the team this week but says he is working on his “psyche and my physical health” after unspecified personal issues recently.

The big fella has been out since late December due to illness and personal issues, according to the team.

Per the Journal Sentinel:

“I figured with my absence that something was going to come out sooner than later. That’s not true. But what is true I would say is that I’m in the process of working things out now internally to do what’s best for my physique and my physical health going forward. […] There’s a lot of evaluating going on. There’s a lot of inside talk just to put myself in the best place for my health right now.”

As coach Jason Kidd has said repeatedly, there appears to be no timetable for his return. […] “There’s not right now,” Sanders said. “I kind of go by recommendations, so I’m definitely keeping my ear to those who are close to me and see what they say is best for my health moving forward. I’m definitely making progress. I’m trying to get to the root of a lot of issues and get them corrected going forward.”

”Without these things being corrected, I don’t think basketball would be something I could even do,” he said. “I have to work my way back to try to be able to play.” […] (Bucks president Peter Feigin) said Sanders was experiencing personal issues “of which we are 1,000% supportive of around him.” He added that the franchise’s new owners want to “surround players with the best medical, psychological, emotional and physical support we can possibly have.”

Sanders has been out with an illness and dealing with personal issues since December 23.

Per HoopsHype and the Journal Sentinel:

Agent Happy Walters reaction to the Larry Sanders report: “I saw that tweet. It is not accurate at all. Rumor unsubstantiated.”

“Larry’s been working extremely hard,” Kidd said in the interview. “He had the flu. He’s taking care of some personal things. That’s what it is. We’re hoping he joins the team shortly, hopefully in the next couple of days if not tomorrow, and moving forward. If tomorrow, that’s great. That’s all we can report … there’s no more, there’s no less.”

Radio host Greg Matzek then asked if Sanders will play for the Bucks again this season and Kidd said yes. […] “He’s ours. He’s part of the family,” Kidd said.

Bucks center Larry Sanders signed a four-year, $44 million contract extension before last season. Since, he’s been an abject disaster, missing games due to injury, drug policy violations and bar fights. That’s not to mention his animal cruelty citation and his sub-par play when he has actually been on the court.

This season, he’s been at odds with Bucks head coach Jason Kidd, who said last week that Sanders—who hasn’t played the last six games—would remain out for “personal reasons” with no timetable for his return. We might have just learned why. According to longtime Bucks beat reporter Gery Woelfel, sources say Sanders has told the team that he just simply doesn’t want to play basketball anymore.

The Bucks didn’t need Sanders, though, as they hung on for a 108-107 road win against the Sacramento Kings.

From the press release and Journal Sentinel:

Milwaukee Bucks center Larry Sanders has been suspended one game without pay for pushing Portland Trail Blazers forward Nicolas Batum in the back as he elevated toward the basket, it was announced (Thursday) by Rod Thorn, President, Basketball Operations.

“I actually didn’t see the fall,” Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts said. “But certainly when he was on the ground it was very concerning.

“I didn’t see the replay. I’m glad it wasn’t worse. The initial thing was he had the wind knocked out of him and he couldn’t breathe.”

As the fantasy basketball season revs into gear, November can prove to be the best time to improve your team, either by pursuing trades with fresh buy-low and sell-high candidates, or by gluing your eyes to your waiver wire and NBA box scores. If you intend to win your league this year, why stand pat with the team you drafted when other impatient owners can’t wait to get rid of their slow starter on a discount?

This isn’t to say that you should attempt an extreme roster makeover if you believe that everything went your way in the draft. If you believe in your team, stick with it. The two biggest mistakes fantasy basketball owners can make early in the season are falling in love with players exceeding expectations, or falling out of love with players failing to meet them, based on a bad box score or two. In both cases, there is a chance of progression or regression to the mean. Everything is magnified given a smaller sample size, and the owners who best decipher which players are a long-term solution will give themselves the best shot at a championship.

Times are Changing

Despite it being such a young season, we have already witnessed how destructive a new team structure can be to any player’s fantasy value. Who was bold enough to draft Kevin Love or Kyrie Irving high in the draft after witnessing the sacrifices made by Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade in Miami? The Cleveland Cavaliers’ big three is still gelling, and it’s hard to make any firm determinations about Irving’s or Love’s value this early. All we know so far is that Irving is somehow averaging fewer assists now despite playing with Love and LeBron James. And on the other hand, Bosh and Wade are making more of an impact for their fantasy owners than they have in quite some time.

Meanwhile in Milwaukee, John Henson is struggling to find the court, thanks to new coach Jason Kidd, who for some reason doesn’t see value in a 23-year-old who averaged 11 points, 7 boards and 1.7 blocks in just 26 minutes last season. While Kidd would rather give veteran Zaza Pachulia additional minutes, eventually Henson (or the front office) is going to force Kidd’s hand. As of now, it’s probably hard to keep Henson on your roster, but keep a close eye on his minutes moving forward. His situation is an especially strong reminder that the circumstances surrounding a player can at times be as important to that player’s success as his abilities are, and that these circumstances can change in the blink of an eye.

The Phoenix Suns, for example, added guard Isaiah Thomas over the offseason, creating a trio of dynamic point guards. While the team looks to be benefiting from the move, fantasy owners are not. Goran Dragic is not playing any worse than last year, but his numbers are and will be down. If you own Dragic, it would be smart to see if you can get last year-level value for him in a trade. Thomas and Eric Bledsoe have seen a similarly expected numbers drop. It’s important to note that none of the three are bad options even as currently constructed, but owners need to keep their value (and expectations) in perspective.

Frigid Starts (Buy Low)

Several players already present an excellent buy-low opportunity. A couple rough weeks to start the season can be just enough to make an impatient owner worry about their investment. The most obvious buy-low candidate thus far is Andre Drummond, who is almost certain to return to last year’s form at the very least. His field-goal percentage currently sits 20 percentage points lower than the last two seasons, which is a strong sign of an impending rise. He’ll never hit his free throws, but this is without a doubt the time to make a move to acquire the big man. If you already own him, don’t panic and stick with him.

If commissioner Adam Silver is even making snide remarks about the Knicks, you know trouble is brewing. Carmelo Anthony probably should have gone to the Chicago Bulls if he wanted to win a Championship, but he stayed in New York and was nevertheless projected to continue to put up elite numbers. As it stands, Melo is off to the slowest start of his career as he learns a new system and familiarizes himself with new teammates. This won’t last, but owners will have to wait it out and deal with lower numbers than usual across the board for the time being.

When he has been on the court this season, Derrick Rose has definitely passed the eye test and showed flashes of being as explosive and quick as ever before. His value has taken a slight hit so far due to a couple minor ankle sprains, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see Rose at a truly elite level by mid-season and for the fantasy playoffs. Try and pounce on him in your league and see if his owner is feeling overly nervous about Rose’s missed time and past. It is possible he could be had for a price you can live with. Sometimes, you really do need to take a risk to take a title, and in this case Rose might not be as much of an injury risk as it seems. If you drafted him, stick with him.

Oklahoma City is in a difficult spot with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook sidelined, and it has led to a somewhat slow start for Serge Ibaka. On one unexpected hand, Ibaka is lighting it up from three-point land, attempting over 4 per game and hitting 40 percent (compared to just 0.7 attempts per game the last two years). This is an impressive attempt to fill an offensive void, but it has actually hurt his overall field-goal percentage and the defensive statistics he was probably drafted for. It’s hard to believe that his rebounding rate and the blocked shots won’t get back to normal soon, but owners should keep this new Serge’s style in mind when managing their lineups.

Fool’s Gold

Darren Collison, the Sacramento Kings’ new starting point guard, is off to a red-hot start, but sometimes an ugly duckling doesn’t become a swan after five seasons. OK, maybe ugly duckling is a little harsh; Collison has always been a solid point guard, but that’s all that should be expected from him moving forward. If you have been the lucky benefactor of Collison’s increased numbers across the board, and aren’t a die-hard Kings fan, now is the perfect time to sell high.

Collison is just one of many players across the NBA who will tease fantasy owners with an explosive start, making them completely forget how early it is in the season. Brandon Knight has taken the reigns in Milwaukee under the guide of Jason Kidd, but if you are planning on counting on him to retain his current averages, you might end up disappointed. While Knight’s improvement is not a fluke, the rate of ascension seems too good to be true and he is bound to have some ups and downs as he continues to learn the game.

Remarkably, Tony Wroten is putting up fantastic stats so far, averaging over 21.9 ppg on 44.1 percent shooting, to go along with over 6 assists, 4 rebounds and 2 steals per game. The downside with Wroten has been his 63 percent at the charity stripe and an abysmal 4 turnovers per game. His value is nevertheless certainly at its apex. With Michael Carter-Williams returning, Wroten will be handling the ball a lot less and is guaranteed to see a drop in production. Try and sell high, and if you can’t get a return you are happy with, keep him on the bench as a backup.

Back on Track

Roy Hibbert was an obvious draft day value this season after suffering through the worst stretch of his career last season. Appearing both physically and mentally drained, Hibbert shouldered a lot of the blame for the Pacers’ late-season collapse. Whatever the problems were, previous seasons indicated a certain comeback to the norm, and that’s what we have witnessed so far. If you can find a way to acquire him from somebody fearing another Hibbert collapse, do it. It’s not going to happen this year.

Milwaukee Bucks center Larry Sanders had a disastrous year, but there are clear indications that he is on track to return to the form that earned him a four-year, $44 million contract. His per-minute averages for blocks and rebounds are back up, and Sanders is a great piece for any fantasy owner, especially for those who drafted him in the late rounds this year and are feeling pretty smart right now.

Rookie Meter

There hasn’t been much to talk about from a fantasy perspective when it comes to the new rookie class. Nerlens Noel has impressed and is going to surpass his average draft position as he gains momentum. He has a leash as long as the Great Wall of China for the rebuilding Sixers, and is a great source of blocked shots. Jabari Parker seems to be worthy as a bench option on fantasy rosters, but his inconsistency and Jason Kidd’s minutes distribution for the Bucks will make him a risky play at times

Up in Minnesota, Andrew Wiggins has struggled to adapt to the NBA. While he remains very valuable in keeper leagues, you shouldn’t expect him to provide much value at all this season. Of more interest in Minnesota right now is Zach LaVine, who has been thrust into the spotlight and could be a useful play at times, at least until Ricky Rubio returns from his injury. His potential is additionally appetizing in all keeper leagues.

Quick Bits

Anthony Davis has reached elite status with emphasis, DeMarcus Cousins still doesn’t have a technical foul, Pau Gasol is rejuvenated in Chicago while Carlos Boozer is definitely not with the Lakers. Chris Bosh is reminding us all that he sacrificed a TON for Miami the last four seasons, Lance Stephenson is redefining the term “shooting” guard, Kobe Bryant is showing people that he can actually attempt even more shots than what was previously thought, and Kyle Korver is, in the immortal words of Marv Albert, on fire. It’s going to be a long and sensational season, and hopefully you’re in it for the long haul with a fantasy basketball championship on the horizon.

For advice on your fantasy team, post questions in the comments section.

Bucks forward Larry Sanders almost laid the ball in his own basket after a jump ball. Thankfully, for the sake of Jason Kidd’s health, Sanders realized he was about to shoot on the wrong hoop in the nick of time. Welcome to Shaqtin’ A Fool, Larry!

LA Clippers All-Star forward Blake Griffin sat down with Rolling Stonefor a fun Q&A, and discussed everything from the benefits of medical marijuana (word to Larry Sanders), to passing gas during games (Blake claims it helped vault him over Timofey Mozgov), and even shared his creationist beliefs:

Your ads are hilariously deadpan. Where’d you get that style? “I’ve always had a very dry sense of humor, and I’ve pretty much grown up on Will Ferrell, first on Saturday Night Live, then Old School and Wedding Crashers.”

Seems like maybe you modeled your basketball game on him, too. “The first step was getting my hair cut like Will. Once I got that down, I just slowly dissected his game and his look.”

The NFL might let players use medical marijuana to treat pain. If you had a vote, would the NBA do the same? “It doesn’t really affect me, but so many guys would probably benefit from it and not take as many painkillers, which have worse long-term effects. So I would vote yes. I just think it makes sense.”

You were home-schooled until the seventh grade. Are you Team Creationism or Team Evolution? “I was raised in a Christian household and went to a Christian high school, so I believe in creationisim, for sure.”

So you think the Earth is only 6,000 years old? “I don’t want to do the math, but somewhere around there.”

Bucks big man Larry Sanders was suspended for five games last week for violating the League’s anti-drug program, and in an interview with NBA.com and the Journal Sentinel shortly afterward, Sanders spoke about his feelings regarding the stigma that surrounds marijuana usage.

Sanders already was sidelined due to right orbital fractures suffered when he was elbowed inadvertently by Houston’s James Harden in a Feb. 8 game, an injury that required surgery.

So it remains unclear whether the 6-foot-11 Sanders will be able to start the five-game suspension at some point as the current season winds down or will be forced to begin the suspension at the beginning of the 2014-’15 season. He must be ruled physically able to play before a suspension can begin.

[…] “It’s something I feel strongly about, just to let you know something personal about me,” Sanders said in an interview with the Journal Sentinel and nba.com. “I will deal with the consequences from it. It’s a banned substance in my league. But I believe in marijuana and the medical side of it. I know what it is if I’m going to use it.

“I study it and I know the benefits it has. In a lot of ways we’ve been deprived. You can’t really label it with so many other drugs that people can be addicted to and have so many negative effects on your body and your family and your relationships and impairment. This is not the same thing.

“The stigma is that it’s illegal. I hate that. Once this becomes legal, this all will go away. But I understand for my work it’s a banned substance. I will deal with the consequences and I apologize again to my fans for that.”

Marijuana is now legal in Colorado and Washington but is still an illegal drug in other states.

The NBA has suspended Larry Sanders for five games for violating the League’s anti-drug program. The Bucks’ big man admitted the violation was for smoking marijuana. From the NBA:

The NBA announced today that Larry Sanders of the Milwaukee Bucks has been suspended without pay for five games for violating the terms of the NBA/NBPA Anti-Drug Program. Sanders’ suspension will begin with the next NBA regular season game for which he is eligible and physically able to play.

“It’s really unfortunate because the kid had been playing well,” Bucks coach Larry Drew said of Sanders. “He was starting to play with a rhythm and had played two of his better games this year.”

A Bucks spokesman gave no timetable on Sanders’ return and indicated he would see a specialist on Tuesday. Drew said Sanders still was suffering from blurred vision.

“He was starting to get that energy back and that fire and that passion,” Drew said. “But it’s just really unfortunate.”

Sanders missed six weeks early in the season after undergoing surgery on his right thumb following a bar fight. He returned Dec. 27 at Brooklyn and has played in 20 games since then.

Sanders has averaged 14.3 points (19-of-30 shooting) and 11.3 rebounds in three February games before suffering the injury. For the season he has averaged 7.7 points and 7.2 rebounds while playing 25.4 minutes per game.

If you don’t mind, please open up your Milwaukee Bucks 2013-14 program. Flip to the page where it gives the basic player information for everybody on the team—you know, stats, age, years in the L, etc. On that page is where you’ll find the 15-man roster for the only team in the NBA with fewer than 10 wins.

On that page is where you’ll find nothing but promise from one of the League’s youngest cores.

On that page, you’ll read about Larry Sanders, a fourth-year rim-protector in its finest and most electric form. You’ll read about Giannis Antetokounmpo, an 19-year-old athletic marvel who’s already producing in a big way while failing to scratch the surface of what he can do years down the line. You’ll read about Brandon Knight, a third-year guard who nearly averaged 20, 5 and 5 for December, his first healthy month as a Buck. You’ll read about Khris Middleton, a sophomore throw-in to the deal that brought Knight to Milwaukee in July, who the Pistons surely wish they had back. You’ll read about an impressive amount of skilled young players on that one page, perhaps none more rapidly improving or vital to Milwaukee’s long-term plans than John Henson.

The 14th overall pick in the 2012 Draft, Henson had a typical rookie season: some big nights, stretches with inconsistent minutes and stretches with inconsistent play. He got his feet under him in the season’s final five games, where he averaged 15 points and 15 rebounds while sending back nearly 3 shots per contest.

Henson has carried that momentum into this season, where he ranks behind only Anthony Davis, Roy Hibbert, Serge Ibaka and DeAndre Jordan in blocks per game. He’s averaging roughly 12 points (52.5 percent) and 8 boards to go with his 2.3 rejections, and his PER (if you’re into that sorta stuff) ranks just below Tim Duncan and above the likes of David Lee, Al Jefferson and Chris Bosh.

Needless to say, Milwaukee has a building block in the 23-year-old big man, who was kind enough to talk to SLAM about his days at North Carolina, going up against the League’s toughest bigs, where the Bucks go from here and much more.

SLAM: You were very highly recruited out of high school. You grew up in North Carolina. Were you always going to go to UNC if you could, or did you give any though to Duke or any other schools?

John Henson: It was between UNC and Texas. At the time, I was living in Austin, which is really close to Texas, so that was kind of my favorite. But you know, UNC came in and kind of swept me off my feet so to say, and that’s the choice I took.

SLAM: Did you think about staying for your senior year?

JH: No, not really, man. It was my time to go. We made a run at a championship, unfortunately, we didn’t get as far as we wanted. But it was kind of one of those last things that I think me, Z (Tyler Zeller), Kendall [Marshall] and Harrison [Barnes] kind of decided that, you know, it was time to move on.

SLAM: Marshall has had the toughest road among you guys, but it seems like Mike D’Antoni’s system has been great for him.

JH: Yeah, he’s playing well. I shot him a text before he got his first start like, ‘Hey man, this is your opportunity to show the NBA that you’re here to stay,’ and I think he’s done that.

SLAM: What did you learn from Roy Williams in your three years at UNC?

JH: It was a lot of off-the-court—you know, discipline. Being on time, being respectful, being a man of your word—that type of thing. Just growing up as a young man. I think that’s one of the biggest takeaways from the college level you could get, in terms of players leaving early. You know, I think the longer you stay the more mature you become, and it definitely helps you when you get to this next level in the NBA.

SLAM: Your first game as a rookie, you got the Grizzlies—Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph—probably the toughest frontcourt in the NBA, certainly one of the most physical. How was that for a ‘Welcome to the League?’

JH: It was kind of surreal just being out there. I had been injured for a little and just trying to get my feet under me and I think when I scored that first basket and got that first rebound, I kind of settled down. But having Z-Bo as your first guy to guard is pretty tough, but I think I handled it well.

SLAM: In your fourth game, you went into Miami against LeBron and Bosh and everyone else and you exploded for 17 points and 18 boards. What was that like for your confidence?

JH: Oh man, it was great for my confidence. I think to the day it’s still one of the things I look back on as one of the reasons I play the way I’m playing and have this kind of effect on the game. It was kind of one of those, ‘I belong, I can do this’ type of thing. I think confidence is a big thing for young players.

SLAM: You guys have struggled early on this season, but you and Larry Sanders are getting healthy. Is there a feeling that you can get this thing going in the right direction?

JH: Yeah, you know, the East is not doing too well [laughs], so I think if we can kinda steadily start winning games, we can put ourselves back into the Playoff race and it wouldn’t take much. But, you know, we need to start quick because the gap is widening every game that we lose.

SLAM: You’ve got a lot of young talent now. I’m gonna run some names by you and I want a quick scouting report—what the guy does well, what he does that impresses you, that kind of thing…Larry Sanders.

JH: Oh! He’s obviously one of the best defenders in this League and he’s still trying to get his rhythm back, missing 20-something games. He’s a finisher and rebounder. At the center position these days, that’s kinda what you need to be successful, so if we can kinda build on the parts around him, I think we’ll be fine.

SLAM: How about Brandon Knight?

JH: Oh man, he’s scoring the ball right now. That’s just a credit to how hard of a worker he is and I think he’s going to be a key piece for us. When he plays well, we play well.

SLAM: Khris Middleton…

JH: Oh yeah, you know, Khris, he’s a great shooter, and he works on that everyday as well—before practice, after practice, shows up before the games. And I think he’s an underrated defender too, man. I don’t think people give him credit for that.

SLAM: And what about the rookie, Giannis Antetokounmpo?

JH: [Laughs at poor pronunciation of last name] Giannis, man, he’s learning everyday and he’s getting better everyday. I think he has a bright future, he’s only 18 years old. He’ll be on his second contract when he’s my age, and I’m on my rookie contract. I can’t wait to see him in four years.

SLAM: What do you guys call him in the locker room?

JH: Giannis, man. Just call him Giannis. Or ‘rook’ or something. With the last name…we just kinda stay away from that.

SLAM: He seems like a guy who’s really got a knack for playing—has a sense for where guys are on the floor, can rebound, can take the ball down court easily, no sweat.

JH: I think as he gets older you’ll start to see it more: he’s a playmaker, so, you know, when the ball’s in his hands he makes plays, whether it’s scoring, passing, shooting, throwing lobs. So, as he gets older we’re probably going to start facilitating more through him because he makes good decisions and he can kind of see over the defense as well.

SLAM: Between you, Giannis and Sanders, unofficially that’s gotta be the longest frontcourt in NBA history, wing-span wise. How excited are you to play alongside those guys going forward?

JH: I can’t wait, man. It’s going to be fun and it’s coming soon, so tell everybody to be patient and it’s gonna hopefully look good and hopefully we could get some wins, too… That’s kinda the goal, man. Just have us grow together and stay together and I think down the line, we all can get it together, I think it could be one of the more fearsome frontcourts, especially defensively, that are out there.

SLAM: Personally, you came into the League mostly known for your defense and rebounding. Your offense has come around though. Are you looking for your shot more this year?

JH: You know, I’m not the greatest low-post scorer, but I think that’s something we’re missing on the team right now, and coach [Larry] Drew has kinda entrusted me with being the guy that he wants to go to in the post. I think that’s given me confidence and helped me out offensively, and it’s kinda snowballed into something that’s actually ended up being pretty successful for me.

SLAM: In Drew’s system in Atlanta, Josh Smith and Al Horford had so much success working off of each other. Do you think, in time, you and Larry can replicate that?

JH: Oh yeah, I think we can, man. We’re both gonna improve as the years go on and over the summers we work out together and stuff like that. So there’s a chance for us to be really good and hopefully we can keep on that path and also you wanna win, and that creates confidence, and in return helps everybody out.

SLAM: Defensively, do you see yourself as more of a Roy Hibbert or Sanders-type rim protector, or a guy who can go out on the perimeter and make plays there?

JH: I see myself as a rim-protector. Especially with Larry down there, it’s gonna be tough to get to the rim. So then it becomes a matter of judging which shots to go at and which shots to box out on, because when you got two shot-blockers going for the shot, you leave somebody open on the board. So that’s just something we gotta figure out as we play with each other and I think it’ll be fine.

SLAM: About a month ago, you wore a shirt with the NCAA logo, only it had ‘SCAM’ written on it instead, presumably a reference to the situations surrounding Leslie McDonald, who you came to UNC with your freshman year, and PJ Hairston, who was a freshman when you were a junior. How important was it to you to make a statement, and why that shirt? Why do you feel the NCAA is a scam?

JH: It was just one of those things where how I felt—the shirt kind of said it all. I don’t know if it’s necessarily a ‘scam,’ but that kind of sent the message, you know, some things I disagree with in what they do. That’s kinda the statement I wanted to make, and hopefully in the future they can make changes and get things better. It’s unfortunate what happened to PJ, but that really wasn’t an NCAA thing—the school didn’t send a reinstatement letter, so it happens, and hopefully he’ll be fine and move on with his career.

SLAM: Last thing—you’ve played a lot of positions already, some time at small forward, power forward, center…who’s the toughest guy to guard at any position?

JH: [Thinking] Ummm…It’s funny, there are a lot of guys that are tough to guard, man. Out of respect for one of the all-time greats, I think Tim Duncan was one of the hardest guys to guard. He’s his old self and he’s still so tough to guard, I can’t even imagine him in his prime, so that’s what I’m thinking.

SLAM: How about an unknown guy, maybe an up-and-comer who people wouldn’t put in that upper-echelon yet?

JH: [Thinking] You know what? Andrew Nicholson is tough down low. People wouldn’t really think about it, but he’s got some stuff down low.

That realization was slammed home over the weekend when Neal and Bucks center Larry Sanders engaged in a heated locker-room argument in Phoenix after Milwaukee’s 116-100 loss Saturday to the Suns. Some of the back-and-forth was heard by reporters, with Neal quoted as shouting at Sanders: “I earned my money. Why don’t you try it?”

It’s merely the latest controversy to envelop Sanders since the Bucks’ defensive anchor landed a four-year, $44 million contract extension coming into the season. Sanders was forced to miss 25 of Milwaukee’s first 33 games after suffering a torn ligament in his right thumb in an altercation at a local bar on Nov. 3.

Neal is in the first season of a two-year deal that pays him $3.25 million in both 2013-14 and 2014-15. The 29-year-old is averaging 10.4 points in 20.5 minutes per game for the Bucks, shooting just 39.4 percent from the field overall but a robust 41.9 percent from the 3-point range.

Milwaukee police released some pretty amazing footage of Bucks center Larry Sanders fighting a gang of people in a nightclub (which resulted in a thumb injury that required surgery.) Sanders is now facing some minor legal trouble. Per the Journal Sentinel: “Police have ticketed Milwaukee Bucks center Larry Sanders for disorderly conduct and assault and battery in connection with a Nov. 3 altercation at Apartment 720, a popular downtown nightclub. The two charges are municipal citations. The Milwaukee County district attorney’s office said it had no plans to issue criminal charges against Sanders. The municipal citations carry a fine of $185 for the disorderly conduct ticket and a fine of $366 for the assault and battery ticket. Michael Hart, Sanders’ attorney, said Wednesday that Sanders was not the aggressor in the incident. ‘We are going to defend him,’ Hart said. ‘He has gotten a bad rap. The facts will bear that out.’ A police official said at least one other person would be ticketed in connection with the incident.”

You might think that Larry Sanders’ year couldn’t possibly get any worse. You would be wrong. The embattled Milwaukee Bucks center was cited twice for leaving his dogs out in the cold back in January. Per the Journal Sentinel: “Sanders paid a total of $330 for the two municipal citations. According to court records, a neighbor called police to say Sanders kept his two German shepherd puppies outside in the cold for hours without proper shelter, food and water. The person said she tried to speak with Sanders about his dogs but felt intimidated and was told by Sanders to leave his property. The neighbor said Sanders told her that he was going to call the police if she returned, court records say. On Jan. 3, police attempted to contact Sanders but were unsuccessful. An officer went to Sanders’ home in the 3200 block of N. Lake Drive, and saw the two puppies in the backyard with no shelter, food or water. The officer noted that the temperature outside was 17 degrees. Police notified the Milwaukee Area Domestic Animal Control Commission to retrieve the dogs. An employee of the center determined the dogs ‘were in harm and needed to be removed,’ according to the police report. On Jan. 4, police went back to Sanders’ home, met with Sanders and issued the two citations. A Bucks spokesman said the team would have no comment. Michael Hart, who represented Sanders in the nightclub incident, said Sanders was not in town when police were summoned about the dogs. Hart said that when Sanders got back to town and tried to pick up the dogs, he was given the citations.”

The alleged bar fight continues to haunt Milwaukee Bucks center Larry Sanders — he underwent surgery on Monday to repair a torn ligament in his right thumb. From the press release: “The surgery was performed by Dr. Curt Crimmins, a hand specialist, at the Orthopaedic Hospital of Wisconsin. Sanders will be sidelined for approximately six weeks and updates will be provided when available. Sanders injured his thumb on Nov. 3 while involved in an off-court incident.”

Milwaukee Bucks forward Larry Sanders’ rough start to the season continues to get worse — he missed last night’s game against the Cleveland Cavaliers after getting hurt in an alleged bar fight. Per 620-WTMJ: “Police say they’re looking into a huge fight at about 1:15 a.m. Sunday morning at Apartment 720 on Milwaukee Street, downtown. The I-Team’s police sources say Sanders started that fight while in the VIP room – a fight where Sanders allegedly broke champagne bottles over a man’s head while security tried to break up the fight. He also allegedly punched the man’s brother in the eye. Police spokesman Mark Stanmeyer later said Wednesday that a victim, who is 26 and from Sussex, ‘told officers that his forehead was cut when he was struck with a bottle during a fight.’ The alleged victims left the club and ended up at Columbia St. Mary’s Hospital on Milwaukee’s east side. It took eight stitches to stop the bleeding of one of the victims. Stanmeyer said the suspect is 24 years old, the same age as Sanders. […] The Bucks sent the following statement before the Bucks-Cavaliers game Wednesday night: ‘We are aware of an incident from Saturday evening. The matter is under investigation and Larry Sanders is cooperating fully. At this time we will have no further comment.'”

The Milwaukee Bucks rewarded forward Larry Sanders with a $44 million deal this offseason, but they still don’t quite trust him at crunch time. Sanders isn’t thrilled with head coach Larry Drew’s rotations when things get tight. Per NBA.com: “Through Milwaukee’s first three games, his production is down significantly: 2.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.0 blocks and 17.3 minutes, compared to last season’s 9.8, 9.5, 2.8 and 27.3. After taking an average of 8.5 shots and making about half (50.6) in 2012-13, he has shot 4-for-16 so far, in a mixed bag of jump hooks, short jumpers and layups. Sanders has been the opposite of smooth, offensively, looking at times like he’s wrestling a lawn chair. And in his view, he hasn’t broken enough of a sweat to do much better. He played 21:37 in the Bucks’ 97-90 loss to Toronto Saturday at the BMO Harris Bradley Center, contributing four points, four boards and one block. ‘I feel like I’m capable of being in the game at the end and helping my team win, coming up with blocks and rebounds,’ Sanders said before exiting the locker room swiftly. ‘I haven’t been able to get my rhythm out there. I understand foul trouble situations, but tonight I wasn’t in foul trouble. Last year I finished so many games. I feel like that’s when I lock in the most. But I haven’t been able to get in the game to finish. That carries over to the next game. When you sit the last three quarters of each game, I can’t have no carryover. And it’s hard for me. I’m still a young player. It’s only my eighth year playing basketball.’ […] Drew’s lineup in the fourth quarter Saturday primarly was O.J. Mayo and rookie point Nate Wolters in the backcourt, Khris Middleton, John Henson and 18-year-old project Giannis Antetokounmpo up front. That group, over the first 6:07 of the quarter, erased Toronto’s 12-point lead, getting the Bucks even at 85-85. Drew subbed in Caron Butler for Middleton, who had missed a pair of free throws and a couple layups, over the final 3:04. Milwaukee got no closer than three. ‘Throughout the game,’ Drew said, ‘I just didn’t feel like we put a burst together, where we were really moving and flying around. So I elected to go smaller in the fourth quarter, move Khris to the four and Giannis to the three, and it got us going. At that point, I was really going to ride that group.’ Said Sanders: ‘That makes sense. But it’s not that group – Caron goes in. It’s about trust. Who you trust down the stretch, that’s who you’re going to play.'”

Milwaukee Bucks defensive specialist Larry Sanders got a big payday this summer, and his former agent is steaming mad that he didn’t get a cut. Sanders’ ex-rep is suing over alleged dirty tricks (here’s the full legal complaint). Per the NY Post: “Andy Miller and his ASM Sports agency of Edgewater, NJ, filed suit in Manhattan against powerhouse Beverly Hills firm Relativity Sports, accusing them of playing dirty over Milwaukee Bucks center Larry Sanders. ‘Through the use of private planes, celebrity encounters and hedonistic parties,’ the Manhattan Supreme Court suit claims, Relativity poached Sanders after Miller’s firm turned him from bust to break out star, according to the Manhattan Supreme Court filing. Players are free to switch agents, but agents are barred from using money and other resources to steal clients, under collective bargaining rules. Miller claims his firm picked up Sanders after Relativity dumped him following a disastrous rookie season. Sanders was relegated to the bench for most of 2010-’11 and even suffered the indignity of demotion to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants of the NBA’ s D-League. ‘Miller helped re-shape Sanders’ attitude toward his physical conditioning,’ according to the lawsuit. ‘Miller made sure that Sanders’ attitude in other areas improved, most notably decreasing the amount of time that Sanders spent partying.’ Sanders came up big in 2012-’13 and scored career highs in points, rebounds and blocked shots. Miller claims he had negotiated a four-year, $41 million contract extension for Sanders before he was suddenly dropped in favor of Relativity and its big-wig execs Happy Walters and Dan Fegan. Sanders’ new reps scored him a four-year, $44 million deal. ‘Larry Sanders returned to the Relativity Sports family and we believe our work on his behalf speaks for itself,’ a Relativity rep said Monday night.”

Listen here, Larry Sanders. Brandon Jennings didn’t mean to be a ball-hog in Milwaukee, he simply had to be one, you see. Per the Detroit Free Press: “Former teammate Larry Sanders may feel that Jennings should have passed more, but Jennings thinks the only way the Bucks had a chance was for him and backcourt mate Monta Ellis to take the majority of shots. ‘I had to, I had to, though,’ he said. ‘I mean, I had to take the shots. That’s just what it is. Me and Monta had to take those shots. Regardless for us to even get into the eighth spot in the playoffs, we had to take those shots. That’s just what it is.’ The back-and-forth started when Jennings was introduced to the Detroit media after being obtained from the Bucks during the summer. He was asked about his shot selection and said it wouldn’t be an issue because of the presence of promising big men Andre Drummond and Greg Monroe — options he didn’t have in Milwaukee. […] Jennings said he wasn’t taking a shot at the Bucks by complimenting the Pistons’ front line, but he didn’t back down from his talent assessment. ‘I wasn’t taking shots at Milwaukee, but let’s be honest here,’ Jennings said. ‘I got two of the best young big men in the league. I’m not going to sugarcoat it or say it any other way. If he feels like I wasn’t passing him the ball … (laughs). There’s times that that I had 20, 18, 19 assists in a game over there, so I was passing. Sometimes you gotta be able to finish.'”

Last season, Larry Sanders emerged as an NBA star on the defensive end of the floor. He was handsomely rewarded for it, and the Milwaukee Bucks would like their young stud to stay on the floor a lot longer going forward, by avoiding confrontations with the refs (no matter how hilarious those may be.) Per the Journal Sentinel: “His temper led to 14 technical fouls last season, near the top of the league in that dubious category. So it’s no surprise he and new Bucks coach Larry Drew already have had a conversation about, ah, tempering the young center’s excitement. ‘I’ve talked to a lot of people about keeping my head focused on winning the game,’ Sanders said Monday at the news conference to announce his four-year contract extension. ‘What my perspective should be. I know coach hates it when you talk to the ref. I know he hates that. I’ve heard him say it already. Those are wrinkles that are getting ironed out. I’m sure he’s not going to hold his tongue so I’ll just let him talk to the ref.’ […] ‘When I took the job, one of the first things he and I did, we went out to dinner and sat and talked,’ Drew said. ‘We were very candid. And he recognized that’s something he has to get better at. And that’s something I’m going to expect him to get better at. You talk about accountability. For me, it’s one of my pet peeves when you talk about transition defense and while you’re squabbling with the official the other team is running at you and you’re putting your team at a disadvantage. That’s not acceptable. But it’s something we’ve already talked about. He understands what he has to do and it’s my job to make sure he gets it done. And I really believe in my heart and soul, he’s going to be a different player in that regard. Larry has taken tremendous strides since coming into our league. And it’s my job to keep him on the right path. Not only Larry, but the rest of our guys. We’re going to get better at it as a team. We’ve got to do all the things necessary to put us in a position to win games, and that’s one of them.'”

Word on the street was that Milwaukee was close to a four-year, $44 million deal with Larry Sanders. The young big fella and the Bucks announced the signing today on Twitter and Instagram: “The Milwaukee Bucks have signed @LarrySanders (6-11, 235) to a multi-year contract extension, GM John Hammond announced today.’ […] ‘It’s official..can’t believe I’ve been granted this opportunity to represent Milwaukee for the next 5 years and hopefully the rest of my career. Words can not explain my gratitude for the @bucks organization and the faith in me as a leader and a worker..I won’t let you down Mil-town..see you in the BC!!! #letsgobucks #bucknation #buck4life'”

As expected, the Bucks and forward Larry Sanders are nearing a contract extension. According to Yahoo! Sports, terms of the new deal are $44 million over four years: “The deal will include bonuses that could push the value of the contract to the $48 million range, sources said. Sanders, 24, emerged as a breakout talent for the Bucks in his third NBA season, averaging 9.8 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game. He’s become one of the league’s best rim protectors and the anchor of the franchise’s frontline. The Bucks have undergone a significant makeover in the offseason under general manager John Hammond, who hired Larry Drew as coach and signed free agents O.J. Mayo, Carlos Delfino and Zaza Pachulia. The Bucks also acquired guard Luke Ridnour as part of a three-team deal. Sanders is one of several class of 2010 players in line to receive contract extensions before the October 31 deadline to complete them. The Bucks drafted Sanders with the 15th overall pick in the 2010 NBA draft out of Virginia Commonwealth.”

Larry Sanders is about to get paid. According to ESPN, the Milwaukee Bucks are negotiating with the young big fella on a lucrative contract extension: “Oct. 31 is the deadline for extensions for members of Sanders’ 2010 draft class, but sources said this week that negotiations on a new deal for one of Milwaukee’s new cornerstones have already reached the final stages. In the wake of the recent departures of guards Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis, Sanders has emerged as Milwaukee’s most recognizable player. He was a recent invitee to USA Basketball’s minicamp in Las Vegas for the game’s top 25-and-under players, only to be derailed halfway through by an ankle sprain. Although contract figures were not immediately known, sources say Sanders is expected to receive an extension with an annual salary in excess of $10 million. He averaged 9.8 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.8 blocks in just 27.3 minutes per game last season. Sanders wound up as the league’s No. 2 shot-blocker and finished seventh in NBA Defensive Player of the Year voting. Yet he was snubbed by NBA coaches in voting for the All-Defensive first and second teams, just like Defensive Player of the Year winner Marc Gasol of the Memphis Grizzlies.”

With Brandon Jennings now in Detroit, and no longer having to deal with Monta Ellis, Larry Sanders says he’s ready and excited to lead the young Milwaukee Bucks into the future (shaky as it may seem.) Sanders is looking forward to teaming up with new point guard Brandon Knight. Per the Journal Sentinel: “Sanders said he learned a few things during his time with the U.S. team that can translate to the upcoming season. ‘It’s not really putting their egos aside but joining egos for the USA ego,’ Sanders said. ‘How they all had the same goal in mind, the USA team, they just won gold (in the 2012 Olympics). I think that’s something we can definitely bring to the Bucks, just everybody pointing in the same direction.’ Sanders was asked his reaction to Tuesday’s trade sending Brandon Jennings to Detroit and bringing 21-year-old point guard Brandon Knight to Milwaukee. ‘Well, Brandon Knight is a tough player, man,’ Sanders said. ‘He plays extremely hard. Every time I’ve had a chance to play against him, he’s been a tough competitor. Sometimes he was out of position, jumping for blocks and stuff, but he don’t have to do that no more. He can focus all of his energy up top. I just see me and him having a heck of a pick-and-roll game. Just hounding guys, he’s a good defender, so he’s going to add an element to our team as far as guard defense up top. And he can shoot the ball well, too, push the ball. A lot of speed. I think he’s a great addition to the team.’ Sanders said it will be important that the Bucks stay unified and he likes the players management has signed or acquired through trades this summer. A divided locker room contributed heavily to a poor regular-season finish and a four-game sweep at the hands of Miami in the first round of the playoffs last season. ‘From the gate, too, from the beginning,’ Sanders said. ‘It’s not an issue we should have to address in April in the playoffs. It’s something that should be addressed in preseason, before we even play a regular-season game. Everything will be ironed out. You go through situations and you learn from them. You learn how not to do things and how to handle things better.’ Sanders will be entering just his fourth season but is one of the young players the Bucks are building around, along with 22-year-old John Henson, Knight and even 18-year-old rookie Giannis Antetokounmpo.”

According to CBS Sports, while the Milwaukee Bucks were getting blasted off the floor during a first round Playoff sweep by the Miami Heat, a fight almost broke out in the locker room between Monta Ellis and Larry Sanders: “Monta Ellis and Larry Sanders nearly came to blows in the locker room after Game 3 of Milwaukee’s first-round sweep at the hands of defending champion Miami, four people with knowledge of the confrontation said. Though the players had to be separated, the dust-up didn’t get serious enough to trigger disciplinary action for either player. One source described the confrontation as ‘just words between teammates in the locker room.’ But the incident offered a glimpse into some troubling team dynamics as the Bucks navigate a critical offseason for the franchise. After the Bucks lost 104-91 to the Heat in Milwaukee on April 25, Sanders vented in the locker room and said in a fiery speech, ‘We need to start playing together as a team and stop worrying about next year,’ according to one of the people briefed on the confrontation. ‘We need to stop being selfish and start worrying about right now.’ Ellis ‘took umbrage,’ according to another person with knowledge of the situation. Correctly assuming that Sanders’ comments were directed primarily at him and backcourt mate Brandon Jennings, who both are prospective free agents, Ellis approached Sanders and squared off with him, sources said. A teammate got between the two players and separated them before the conflict became physical. Ellis was 2-for-9 with seven points and six assists in the game and became livid that Sanders implied he was playing selfishly with free agency looming this summer. Ellis can opt out of his $11 million contract for next season, and Jennings — a restricted free agent — has made no secret of his desire to explore an exit strategy from Milwaukee this summer.”

As we’ve seen of late, being an NBA ref is a contact sport. Bill Kennedy got popped in the grill by an errant elbow from Larry Sanders on the opening tip. (Kennedy collected himself and stayed in the game. Sanders went on to have a career scoring night—24 points, along with 13 rebounds—as he led the Milwaukee Bucks to a 131-102 rout of the Charlotte Bobcats).

Larry Sanders scored a career-high 21 points and grabbed 13 rebounds to lead the Bucks to a big late season win over the Lakers. The Lakers loss made the race for the eighth seed in the West that much closer; LA now sits just a game and a half ahead of Utah for the final spot. Steve Blake hit a three to give the Lakers an 88-87 lead, but Brandon Jennings came right back and hit a three of his own to give Milwaukee the lead for good. Los Angeles missed 10 of their next eleven shots and the Bucks capitalized with a 17-4 run to put the Lakers away. Jennings scored 20 and dropped 7 dimes, Ersan Ilyasova scored 20 and Monta Ellis finished with 18 points, 9 assists and 7 rebounds. Kobe scored 30 and Dwight Howard finished with 15 points and 15 rebounds in the loss.

Despite the disheartening news that Danny Granger would miss the rest of the season due to knee surgery, the Pacers came out and handed the Mavs a 25-point L. The game was tied up at 41 apiece at the half and the Mavericks were in the hunt to get their record to .500 so they could finally shave their “.500 beards”. Instead, the Pacers outscored the Mavs 34-17 in the third quarter to take control of the game and run away with the victory. Paul George scored 24 points, grabbed 8 boards and dished out 6 assists and Roy Hibbert went for 16 points and 11 boards. Dirk was the only Mavs starter to score in double figures; he finished with 21.

With last night’s win over the Suns, Sacramento has now won six of their last ten and are ending the season on a high note. DeMarcus Cousins took advantage of a depleted Phoenix front line by scoring a season-high 34 points and grabbing 14 boards while Isaiah Thomas had 23 points to go along with 8 assists. Sacramento destroyed Phoenix inside, outscoring the Suns 62-42 in the paint and outrebounding them 50-37. Goran Dragic did not play and rookie Kendall Marshall had 10 assists in the spot start.

Halfway through the first quarter on Friday night, Paul George took a pass from George Hill and threw down a monster one-handed dunk over Larry Sanders. Things didn’t get much better for Sanders or the Bucks.

The Bucks were down 53-47 in the middle of the third when Sanders drew a foul and two Ts in one sequence. He was ejected for the fifth time this season—third time in 10 days—and the Pacers immediately went on a 14-1 run to put the game out of reach.

Milwaukee Bucks forward Larry Sanders was hit with a $50K fine by the League for cussing out the refs and inferring that they give the Miami Heat too many favorable calls. Per the Journal Sentinel: “Sanders was ejected with 2 minutes 44 seconds left in the Bucks’ 107-94 loss to Miami on Friday. He ‘directed a derogatory and offensive term’ to the officials and was ejected, according to a statement from Stu Jackson, NBA executive vice president of basketball operations. The fine also related to public criticism of officials. ‘I can imagine it’s hard for a referee to ref a Miami Heat game,’ Sanders said in his post-game comments. ‘It’s hard for me to take that sometimes. I feel like things are kind of swayed. Maybe (I should) care a little less.’ Sanders argued after being called for fouling Heat star LeBron James on a drive to the basket.”

The Washington Wizards’ 106-93 win over the Milwaukee Bucks left the visitors with a bitter taste in their mouths. A frustrated Larry Sanders was tossed out of the game after giving all three referees a sarcastic and hilarious thumbs-up. Per the Journal Sentinel: “Bucks’ frustrations boiled over as center Larry Sanders was ejected with 2:45 left in the game after being called for a charging foul. Sanders gave the thumbs-up sign to all three officials – Bennie Adams, Kevin Cutler and Bennett Salvatore – and was given the heave-ho by Salvatore. ‘I really want to win,’ Sanders said of his response. ‘I want to gain some momentum going into the playoffs and seal our position. I felt like we fought hard but we didn’t play our best. There were a lot of things I was frustrated with.’ It was Sanders’ third ejection of the season after being tossed out of games in Miami in November and in Portland in January.”

Larry Sanders—great defender that he is—was humiliated by Alan Anderson on a jab step, as Sanders’ feet got tangled up and he ended up on his bum. Anderson’s dunk forced overtime, but the Toronto Raptors lost to the Brandon Jennings-led Milwaukee Bucks in the extra session 122-114.

With Kenneth Faried charging down the lane, Larry Sanders stood between him and the hoop. Unfortunately for Sanders, the force of the contact knocked him off balance and sent him crashing to the floor. Though he was forced to leave the game for good, Sanders doesn’t think he’ll be out for too long. Per the Journal Sentinel: “I landed more to the right side, on the back of the hip bone,’ Sanders said. ‘They did a couple X-rays. Nothing too severe. That’s great news. It’s pretty painful. I’ll just get a couple more X-rays and take care of it so I can get back as fast as I can.’ […] ‘We collided in the air and I couldn’t catch myself,’ Sanders said. ‘Once you’re in the air like that it’s any man’s game. And me jumping straight up and him coming full speed, usually you’re on the losing end of that … He didn’t make the shot, did he? OK, good.’ Faried did not make the dunk but hit 1 of 2 free throws as part of Denver’s 19-4 run to end the game. Faried said he and Sanders had talked about a meeting at the rim a few plays earlier. ‘He grabbed my arm,’ Faried said. ‘He knew he did. We were talking about the play. He told me I was bouncy and I told him, ‘Watch out now.’ It was ironic and funny because I came down and tried to dunk it, and we were talking about it two possessions earlier when we were shooting free throws.'”

Milwaukee Bucks forward Larry Sanders briefly lost his mind last night in Indiana, acting like he was ready to fight the entire Pacers team after he was ejected from the game. Indy wasn’t fazed by any of it, reports the Star: “First, Leandro Barbosa showed that they’re still not over the fact that Mike Dunleavy broke Tyler Hansbrough’s nose and cheekbone last month when he delivered a free safety type hit on the former Pacer on his lay up attempt. It’s probably good that Barbosa got to Dunleavy first because Hansbrough was coming hard after his former teammate on the play. Barbosa’s flagrant foul came just days after David West nearly took off Dunleavy’s neck with a hard foul in Milwaukee. Dunleavy addressed the bad blood with Hansbrough with Bucks beat writer Charles Gardner after the game. ‘That’s between me and him,’ Dunleavy said. ‘Without getting too much into it, he pulled something that wasn’t right. It’s too bad other guys had to come into the fray on it. At least it’s guys who I didn’t play with seem to be the guys taking the fouls. At least from that regard it’s honorable. Barbosa and West, those guys didn’t play with me. At least they sent them to do the dirty work. It’s too bad because it’s between me and Tyler and he knows what he did.’ Then Bucks Larry Sanders had words with George Hill after he picked up his second technical for getting upset over being called for a foul when he ran Danny Granger over. West came to his teammate’s defense. Sanders, who pointed his finger in West’s face, acted like he was going to go after the Pacers power forward when he circled around and had a direct line toward West. […] ‘It’s one of those things where I know I can handle myself in all that ruckus,’ West said. ‘I just wanted to make sure that our guard was out of the way. If there was anything, which I knew wasn’t going to happen, I’d take the brunt of it.’ […] ‘They’re smart veterans,’ head coach Frank Vogel said. ‘They understand how to be a man and standup for themselves without being unintelligent.'”

After countless hours browsing YouTube, watching highlights, and trying to develop a halfway-decent ranking system of the best dunks, blocks, steals, and assists from the rookie class, we’ve finally arrived at our goal: the Top 50 Plays of the Year.

I’ll let the moving pictures do the talking, but I do want to make one disclaimer: I did everything I could to make sure Blake Griffin didn’t own all the highlights, especially the top-10. It was extremely difficult, but in order to give less prominent names exposure and showcase the full arsenal of the rookie class, it was completely necessary. In the end, Griffin got his fare share of highlights (still owns the majority, obviously), but so did the rest of young guns. If you have any thoughts/agreements/disagreements, feel free to stop by the comment section. History will be rewritten in the upcoming weeks, but for one last time, let’s see what’s good with the rookie class.

In life, and especially in basketball, I have trouble capturing the moment; I typically don’t absorb and understand what’s occurring until the moment is complete. The tendency was once again in effect this year, but for the first time I think it worked to my advantage.

I didn’t view the rookies as rookies; Instead, every first year pro was just a professional basketball player, regardless of age or experience. I’m not naive though. Like any fan, I gave the rookies the benefit of the doubt, understanding they have room to grow and time to flourish, like an eighth grader playing varsity. Instead of forming an impulsive perspective and drawing outrageous conclusions based off single-game (or single-week) performances, I took a years worth of work into account to analyze the rookie class.

It goes without saying that one season isn’t enough to place labels–bust, superstar, etc. Chauncey Billups came into the League in ‘97-98, but didn’t make an impact until 2002. The same applies for numerous others—Chris Mullin, Gerald Wallace, Corey Maggette, Ben Wallace to name a few. With the season winding down, let’s have some fun and redraft the Class of 2010.

Wall has been the only ray of life for the 18-56 Wizards. He was the consensus No. 1 pick in June, and still holds the throne on the first of April. The Carolina native has the make of a franchise point guard—superb athleticism, ball handling, court awareness, and most importantly leadership. Even without a consistent jumpshot, Wall is a match-up problem on most nights. His ability to fill the stat sheet is reminiscent of a young Jason Kidd.

Monroe has arguably been the best Eastern Conference rookie since January. After logging 15-20 minutes a game earlier in the season, he’s made his way into the Pistons starting lineup. His numbers have increased every month—with 10 double-doubles in his last 17 games, his development is coming along smoothly. Learning from Elton Brand and playing alongside Andre Iguodala and pass-first point guard Jrue Holiday would make Monroe a good fit in Philadelphia. DeMarcus Cousins could also be considered for this spot, but I see Monroe’s versatility as a better fit for the 76ers.

This one is simple: Favors was a trade chip even before he got drafted, and he was finally shipped to Utah at the deadline. I am confident DeMarcus Cousins will have a more successful career than Favors, but the Nets already have a center in Brook Lopez. Plus, many teams would be hesitant to trade for Cousins.

If there’s one player to contest Wall as the Draft’s best overall player, it’s Cousins. Cousins is a 6-11, 270 pound immovable object with the shooting touch of a guard. He’s posted a double-double in 14 of his last 28 games, and has scored in double figures in all but one game in March.

If the Wolves drafted Cousins, they could’ve put Mike Beasley at 3, allowing Kevin Love to play his natural 4, and inserting Cousins at the 5. With the double-teams Cousins is already demanding, Love would probably have five 30-30 games this year. It’s sad that the last positive memories of the Target Center lie within the Kevin Garnett days.

George is a 6-8 combo guard who’s as raw as sushi. He’s shown flashes of brilliance on both ends of the floor, with a crafty offensive arsenal and the length to contest any shot on defense, even if he lays off his man. Despite shooting only 27 percent from deep, George has trampoline hops and a developing jumpshot. For George to get minutes under the strict tutelage of Jim O’Brien is an indication of some sort. Not saying he’s an All-Star, but George can be a starter in this league for years to come. With Cousins off the board, if Sacramento took the Fresno State swingman they’d have a solid core of Tyreke Evans/Marcus Thornton/George, plus a top-8 pick in this years draft.

Davis has been overlooked for most of the season despite being a lottery pick. His skinny frame is deceptive because he can bang down low, scoring efficiently (66 percent in January, 64 percent in February, 53 percent in March) and collect rebounds. He would fit in with Golden States run-n-gun offense, garnering lots of transition buckets. His raw ability is too much to pass up on here.

Both Greg Monroe and Paul George are off the board here, but Turner is still a good fit in Detroit. He needs to improve in several categories, but Turner plays at his pace and is comfortable within himself, leading to lots of playmaking opportunities. With some improved shot selection and some work behind the arc, Tuner will be a solid pro. The locker room unrest in Detroit would’ve also allowed Turner to play significant minutes.

Fields’ remarkable basketball IQ and veteran poise lifts him from the dumps of the second round to the lottery. Al-Farouq Aminu has made decent contributions, but Fields’ play is way ahead of his experience—he has unpredictable upside, and at this point is a rotation player at the worst. Fields shoots, defends, and rebounds better than Aminu, and would help the Clips immediately.

Johnson has been erratic at times this season, but so has every other player on this list. Wes could fill in at small forward for Utah, as Andrei Kirilenko’s contract expires at seasons end. Johnson’s put together a few notable performances, but I think he’d do even better in the Jazz’ balanced, structured system. If he can learn to attack the rim with a vengeance and polish his three-point shooting, Johnson will be a force in the league.

Sanders hasn’t played too often this season, but his game fascinates me. It’s rare to find a 6-11 forward who can defend positions two through five. On offense, Sanders has a smooth face-up and mid-range game. For an Indiana team that lacks front-court athleticism, Sanders a risky pick, but one that could pay dividends.

It’s easy to be fooled by Patterson’s petty numbers, but his game is meant for game film, not the box score. Patterson can guard without fouling, something the Kings hope DeMarcus Cousins will learn. He has a limited but effective offensive game, but his impact would be especially felt on the defensive end. Patterson could play behind Serge Ibaka or Kendrick Perkins, anchoring the second unit similar to Omer Asik in Chicago.

Since being traded from Atlanta to Washington, Crawford has made the most of his opportunities, surprising everyone in the basketball world with his scoring ability. His latest feat—a smooth 39 on the Miami Heat this past Wednesday. Crawford would be an offensive threat off the bench for Memphis, making OJ Mayo even more expendable. The kid from Xavier can create his shot with ease, in a Jamal Crawford-Jason Terry kind of way. He’s also showed more promise than both Xavier Henry and Greivis Vasquez, Memphis’ two draft picks.

Griffin is a budding superstar with a ‘TBA’ future. How good is this kid? How good will he be in three years? Eight years? 12 years? His future is so bright that he should wear sunglasses during games.

BG ranks third in both scoring and rebounding among power forwards. After his streak of consecutive double-doubles expired at 27 games, Griffin went off for 50 points and 36 rebounds over his next two. He had 20 and 18 on LaMarcus Aldridge, and a smooth 30 and 18 on David Lee. The last rookie to reach 30 and 18 in one game was Elton Brand in 2000, when he was on the Chicago Bulls.

This leads me back to my original question, which has been the reoccurring theme all year: how good will Blake Griffin be?

Let’s start here. Back in late November, when he was averaging 19 and 11, I had BG as the 10th best power forward in the league. Today, at 23 points and 13 rebounds, here’s how I see it.

In my book, he’s no higher than 6th but no worse than 9th. I’d take him at 6, ahead of all the ‘in the mix’ guys. Yes, even Tim Duncan.

Griffin closed out his week on a strong note, posting 22 points and 11 boards vs. Dallas and 14/11 vs. Houston. Despite his monster numbers, the Clippers lost three of four this week. Still, they’re 7-5 in January.

It seems that Wall is finally hitting his stride. He’s played in all 13 games this month, which is a big relief for Wizards fans. Last Friday, Wall had a great matchup with Steve Nash. The rookie had 11 points and 14 assists, while the veteran had 17 and 14, and earned an 18-point win. The Wizards are numb to losing at this point, for they’re still winless on the road. They dropped three of four this week as well.

But the one game they did win was vs. the Boston Celtics, another great matchup for Wall. It wasn’t an ordinary win either. Wall led a strong Wizards rally, in which they overcame a 16-point first quarter deficit and escaped with the victory. With the shot clock running down in the games final minute, Wall banked in a 3-pointer that gave his team the lead for good. The Wiz are having trouble in the win column, but Wall is beginning to take center stage.

Notes:

–DeMarcus Cousins had 21 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists in last Friday’s loss to Golden State. Cousins has had at least 20 points five times this month. You may be hearing about his ‘attitude problems’ (which I don’t buy), but if you take a closer look, Cousins is a monster on the court, not off it.

–Evan Turner had 14 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists off the bench in Monday’s win over Phoenix. Turner is the first rookie Sixer to post these numbers off the bench since Allen Iverson did so in 1997.

This is a unanimous decision. Griffin is only the third rookie in the last 20 years to average 22 points and 12 rebounds. The other two guys were David Robinson and Shaquille O’Neal.

Biggest Upside:John Wall, Wizards

When healthy, Wall’s shown flashes of greatness. He had a triple-double in his 6th career game, and currently ranks 5th in assists. Don’t be concerned by the lack of wins, as Wall is still figuring this NBA thing out. After all, Peyton Manning was 3-13 his rookie year.

‘Critics,’ ‘experts,’ writers, reporters, and even NBA GMs had no idea Landry Fields could play in the NBA, let alone be this good. Seven rebounds per game for a rookie shooting guard is borderline phenomenal. Fields possesses the intangibles you can’t teach, and has been one of Donnie Walsh’s better finds.

Henry took O.J. Mayo’s starting spot in mid-November and has totaled 16 starts for the Griz. But the rookie from Kansas hasn’t played in over a month. Where you at Xavier?

Best Performance:Blake Griffin, Jan. 17

Griffin had 47 points and 19 rebounds on 19 of 24 shooting. That’s 79.2 percent. As I noted last week, that was the highest field-goal percentage by a rookie who took at least 20 shots in an NBA game since Dec. 6, 1984, when Hakeem Olajuwon made 18 of 22 (81.8 percent) for the Rockets.

His 47 points are an NBA season-high (KD tied him last night). Blake had many games that are in the running, but I think he out-did himself here.

Honorable Mention: John Wall, Nov. 10

In only his 6th career game, Wall was 4 steals short of a quadruple-double. His 19 point, 13 assist, 10 rebound, 6 steal, 1 turnover game was one for the ages.

Best Performance by a Rookie Not Named Wall or Griffin:Landry Fields, Nov. 16

Fields had 21 points and 17 rebounds on 67 percent shooting in a two-point loss to the Nuggets. People, he’s a shooting guard! Why is he getting 17 rebounds? I’m confused.

Stephenson hasn’t played one minute this season, for a mirage of reasons: depth at his position, off-the-court issues, lack of defensive ability, etc…

I have to admit I’m a little biased because I’m one of Lance’s biggest supporters, but regardless of what you think of him as a person, Stephenson has a lot of talent and heart. He’s been under the microscope since the 8th grade, and people have made their name by going up against him.

But now the roles are reversed. Once the target, Lance is now the predator. Just because he hasn’t played, don’t label him a ‘bust’ or think he’s garbage just yet. Below are some quotes:

Jan. 25: “The Pacers are trying to move Ford now that they feel comfortable with Price and rookie Lance Stephenson as the second and third point guards.” – Mike Wells, Indy Star

Jan. 14: “The rookie from Cincinnati has yet to play in a regular season game, but O’Brien said he expected Stephenson to be a “very, very” big part of the team’s future.” – John Oehser, NBA.com

Dec. 3: “We do a lot of stuff in practice that he needs to learn, Jimmy stays on him pretty tough. I’m very high on the kid. I want him to be part of the team whether he’s dressing or not.” – Larry Bird, Pacer’s President

With Lance expected to be activated for almost every game going forward, he could have his time during the second half of the season. On the defensive end, he needs to improve his lateral quickness, off-ball skills, and hand checking.

But when he has the ball, I don’t see how most point-guards are going to guard him. He’s 6-6, 220 pounds, with an improving jump-shot. If you’re not Rondo, Russ Wess, CP3, or DRose, he has a good chance of getting into the paint consistently on you, ala Tyreke Evans.

I’m not calling a monster second half, but don’t count out Lance just yet.

Welcome to the Rookie Report, a weekly judgement and analysis of the NBA’s Young Gunz.

This time last year, I took the NBA for granted. For some unexplainable reason, I was already numb and desensitized to the brilliant play of the rookie class. I knew Brandon Jennings was a problem when he scored 55 points in three quarters vs. Golden State, but I didn’t realize he had a six-game stretch in November when he averaged 31 points and seven assists. We all knew Tyreke Evans could get in the paint and score at will, but who projected him to make history with a 20-5-5 season? I knew Steph Curry could shoot, but I had no idea he was going to get significant minutes in the world championships and develop arguably the sweetest stroke in the league. What I was witnessing wasn’t normal—I knew that. But I didn’t absorb most of it.

In the college ranks, John Wall was on the brink of his coming-out party, when he lit up Dexter Strickland and outplayed Kemba Walker at the Garden to solidify himself as the best point guard in the country. I knew who Evan Turner was, but I didn’t know ‘Evan Turner: Naismith award winner.’ This year, I’m making sure I know. Although the ’10 class isn’t as deep as ‘09, there’s plenty of talent that’ll mold the future of the NBA.

Wall was hindered by injuries once again, playing only twice this week. He had 10 points and seven assists in a blowout loss to Atlanta, and 19 points and eight assists in last nights loss to Toronto. Wall has a lot more growing to do. He’s been a freak on the stat sheet, but his leadership capabilities have yet to be tested. In my school of thought, point guards are heavily responsible for the teams’ success (or failure), and Wall is the nucleus of the Wizards. So far so good, but there’s room for improvement.

For an even deeper comparison, I’ve charted Griffin’s performance thus far against the top big men selected in recent drafts:

Through 19 games

(2006-07) Andrea Bargnani: 8.2 ppg, 2.8 rpg

(2008-09) Greg Oden: 8 ppg, 7.9 rpg

(2007-08) Al Horford: 8.8 ppg, 10.8 rpg

(2008-09) Michael Beasley: 14.5 ppg, 5.3 rpg

(2010-11) Blake Griffin: 20.7 ppg, 11.6 rpg

The Clips went a solid 2-2 this week. Was the league extremely hung-over from all the Thanksgiving festivities, or is L.A. actually making progress? With Baron Davis healthy, Griffin should have many more opportunities to score the basketball. Using the Clippers in 2k11 is a blast because of all the virtual talent they have. Only time will tell if it’ll translate to real life.

Blake Griffin goes up against tough competition this week, so we’ll have a good amount of film to evaluate him on next week. He faces Nene, DeMarcus Cousins, LaMarcus Aldridge, and a Lakers frontline of Paul Gasol and Lamar Odom. Griffin still leads the rookies in points, rebounds, and double-doubles (12).

The Knicks are 7-3 in their last 10 games, and some of the success can be attributed to Fields. He was named Eastern Conference Rookie-of-the-Month, and deservedly so. No other rookie in the East played at Fields’ level on a consistent basis.

He logged 51 minutes in the double-overtime game vs. Detroit and had only three turnovers. Not bad for a rookie. I’ve really grown to enjoy Fields’ game and the way he fits into Mike D’Antoni’s system. He runs the floor well, with polished court awareness and the ability to effectively use open space. He does all the little things well—cutting to the basket, good at the pick-and-roll/pick-and-pop (on both ends), and isn’t shy to shoot the 3-pointer when Raymond Felton and Amar’e Stoudemire operate and the defense converges into the paint. Fields leads the rookies in field-goal percentage, and is second in rebounds and double-doubles (8).

My Fault

Last week, I wrote a paragraph on the L.A. Clippers’ futile effort to win games, and how I couldn’t make sense of the talent-not-translating-into-wins situation they’re in. To fit the script, they went a solid .500 this week. But that’s not the point.

In last week’s ‘Rookie Report,’ I was breaking down the talent on the Clippers roster but neglected to mention Eric Gordon’s strong play. My fault.

EG is 7th in the league in scoring (24.1), averaging more than Carmelo Anthony, Rudy Gay, and Steph Curry to name a few. He’s led the Clips in scoring in 12 of their 19 games, and is by far the best one-on-one scorer on his team. At this point, you could even argue he’s as valuable as Blake Griffin because of his polished inside-outside game. We all knew he had the ratchet, but we vastly overlooked his ability to ruin people at the rim. You could also argue he’s had the nicest dunks of any guard in the NBA this season.

There’s no question playing with Team USA did wonders for his game. Gordon has a quicker first step, and uses both the step-back and euro-step to perfection. If you give him space, he’ll eye you. Try to lock up and he’ll blow past you. His quiet yet smooth confidence makes him a fan favorite (at least to this fan). Long story short, Eric Gordon is a monster.

Notes

-One day after being ejected from the team practice, DeMarcus Cousins posted a career high 20 points and eight rebounds in only 23 minutes vs. Indiana. Cousins is a work in progress, but he’s making progress nonetheless.

-For the past six games, the Memphis Grizzlies have started Xavier Henry instead of O.J. Mayo at shooting guard. In these six games, the Grizzlies are 4-2 but Henry is averaging only six points per. It’ll be interesting to see what Lionel Hollins does with the lineup going forward.

-Pistons rookie Greg Monroe had his strongest week of the season, posting six points and six rebounds vs. New York, and 15 points and eight rebounds last night in Miami.

-It’s been a wacky year for the Indiana Pacers’ draft picks. The Pacers are ½ game back in the Central Division, but have no consistent rotation. After playing in the first six games, rookie swingman Paul George has been inactive nine of the past 11 games. Their other rookie, Lance Stephenson, has yet to suit up. C’mon Born Ready!

-The opposite applies to Milwaukee Bucks rookie Larry Sanders. After playing sparingly to start the year, Scott Skiles has invested faith in the 6-10 forward from VCU. I’ve been high on Sanders for a while now. With some more experience and polish, he could cause damage in the league. Sanders has started the past three games at small forward and he’s held his own. He was two blocks short of a triple-double last night, posting 14 points, 10 rebounds, and eight blocks.

Thanks for reading the Rookie Report. If you’re in New York, stay warm. If you’re in the sun, I envy your life. I’m out.

Every year, one or two first-year players exceed expectations during their rookie campaigns (see: Jennings, Brandon). Who’ll do so in ’10-11? Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

-Listened to some ’90s music I’d too long neglected, including Gentlemen, Vol. 2… Hard Knock Life, and the Judgment Night soundtrack; the first because the Whigs are from Ohio (Cinci, but whatever), the second because, well, Roc La Familia and all that; and the third because I haven’t listened to it in a long time, and it’s ridiculous. (Once, not long after I started at SLAM, Boo-Ya Tribe came through the offices we shared with XXL. I don’t think I’ve ever been more frightened in my life.)

-Read Animal Farm. I’d never read it before. It was pretty good.

-Ate at Swenson’s three times in two days. Galley Boy. Fried zucchini. Banana milkshake. What.

-Dozed off in a booth in the University of Akron student union building.

-Sat courtside as Jordan Crawford dunked on LeBron James.

-Did not check email or the internet for nearly 72 hours; this is both extremely refreshing and makes one feel as if one has literally found a stone or boulder large enough to provide shelter from all aspects of the outside world (without, somehow, also crushing the one residing beneath it. Still not sure how that works). Did I miss anything?

So, yeah, Akron and Cleveland, for the 2009 LeBron James Skills Academy and King City Classic, respectively. Here is a chronological summary of events as, ahem, witnessed by me.

*

Get up dumb early Monday morning. Drive straight from Central Pa to the James A. Rhodes Arena on the downtown campus of the University of Akron in time to catch the first morning session of the Skills Academy, where I see a bunch of the best high school basketball players in America not actually playing basketball. Nike flipped the traditional summer camp script this year, dedicating (at least in theory) the first two days of camp strictly to player drills. Meaning: No games. Meaning: Theoretically good for the kids, who can work on specific skills before they get caught up in trying to impress the college coaches in games. Meaning: Boring for media guys who get up dumb early to drive four hours to Akron.

It’s not bad, though. As one of the NBA scouts I talk to explains, watching these guys in drills is a good chance to see which players pick things up quickly, hustle and execute. Right now, it’s also a chance to see how they react to the presence of the camp’s namesake in the midst of their drills. LeBron jumps into a session with the camp’s wings, running 3-on-3 halfcourt drills. Later, he joins in on some 5-on-5 drills — a not quite full-blown runs, but close enough — running with a lineup that includes the camp’s top junior (and arguably top player, period), Michael Gilchrist.

Across the street in the UA student fitness center (which is dope), Fran Fraschilla is telling the guards how “it’ll take 3-4 weeks” before they really pick up on the stuff they’re working on here.

Early pick for my favorite player at camp: JT Terrell. He’s rocking a serious high-top fade. Actually watching him play as the week goes on, I’ll only like him more.

Worth nothing: The cups lined up by the courtside water cooler are basically thimbles. Not sure if this is an attempt to prevent overhydration, or if somebody f*cked up on their Wal-Mart run. Either way, kids are going through like 10 cups each during breaks in action. This is silly.

Last year, I saw, but didn’t pay much attention to, a rising junior named Harrison Barnes. I’m paying more attention this year, not least because… well, you’ll see soon enough. First impression of arguably the nation’s top senior? He’s long—the sort of long where he almost seems to expand when he plays.

*

On Monday afternoon, I get my first look at the 20 college kids in attendance. A lot of the college guys at last year’s camp were drafted this year, so it’s worth paying attention. They’re going strictly drills for now, too, at the moment being led by a bald, drill-sergeant looking dude spitting out motivational winners like “I hear you bullsh*tting in the hotel a lot, but I don’t hear you talking out here.”

*

Dinner, like lunch, is at Swenson’s, though this time I’m joined by Shirley and Jourdan-Ashle Barnes, mom and sister of Harrison. They are having a lot of fun being the mom and sister of maybe the best player in the country this year, and props to Shirley for going with my recommendation of Galley Boy and fried zucchini. Good conversation and grease? You don’t beat that, people.

*

Back for the Monday night session, I’m happy to see that the drills-only format is being set aside. Scrimmage time! Among those who catch my eye…

–JT Terrell. He’s keeping Brandon Jennings’ throwback haircut alive, and his game is slightly reminiscent of the brash ’09 Lottery pick — he’s not as good, but this point guard plays hard, gets buckets and entertains.

–Rakeem Christmas. A 6-9 junior big man from Philly (though I’m told he’s no relation to Dionte) is raw and a little gangly, but the big-time potential is there. Dude can block some shots. Hopefully the offense will follow in kind.

–Adreian Payne. I don’t use the word “rangy” often enough, so I’ll use it to describe this 6-9 kid from Dayton. He takes up some space.

–Malcolm Gilbert. A 6-11 junior rocking knee pads and high socks. He’s kinda awkward and still growing into his body, but you can see it…

-A nice finish on the break by Dayton signee Juwan Staten earns raves from the guys sitting around me, most of whom are affiliated with LeBron’s alma mater, Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary. Seems Staten gave St. V hell in the Ohio state title game, keeping his Marshall HS squad in the game pretty much by his lonesome. Watching him here, I can see why they like him. Looks like Dayton did well to keep the local cat in town.

-Once again, I am obliged to mention Taran Buie, the 6-2 guard from Albany who, as I noted last year, is the younger brother of Penn State’s all-Big Ten guard Talor Battle. In March, Buie committed to join his brother next year in Happy Valley. I do what I can.

–Josh Selby. It won’t be the first time I mention this B’more product, who regularly gets it done in traffic.

Late Monday the high schoolers give way to the grown-ups. The side-by-side courts at the JAR arena are hosting fullcourt runs, with four teams made up of the 20 college kids and the fifth led by our host. The roster: LeBron, his high school teammate Romeo Travis (now playing pro ball in Germany), Cavs’ reserve Tarence Kinsey, and Cleveland draft picks Danny Green and Christian Eyenga — or, as I write in my notebook because I can’t remember his name, “#30.”

I’m not alone. Seated near me is a prominent unofficial member of the extended Nike fam, and he spends pretty much the entire game talking sh*t on Eyenga — though, granted, some of it is deserved. The quick scouting report: Dude is very athletic and entirely raw as a basketball prospect. He follows a wet three-pointer with back-to-back airballs. He alternates made dunks with failed dunks on a pretty even basis. He attempts no offense in between. If he gets the sh*t coached out of him the next few years (most likely back in Europe) he might be a player someday. That said, it was maybe harsh, in the middle of the game, to ask loudly, “Is this the first time he’s played on a wood court?”

Funny, but harsh.

I leave the gym that night thinking this running commentary of Eyenga-hate will be the most memorable part of my evening. I guess I should mention the first of the rotating college teams LeBron and Co. faced. It featured Kansas big man Cole Aldrich, VaTech guard Malcolmn Delaney, Michigan forward DeShawn Sims, Cal guard Patrick Christopher, and a sophomore from Xavier named Jordan Crawford.

I take two notes from this game. They are….

“Crawford dunks on Bron”

…and, a few minutes later,

“Bron’s team wins”

…and, bar a couple people asking about it on Tuesday, I don’t think about it again until I’m driving back home late Wednesday. As mentioned, I was totally (and happily) unplugged during this trip. Not until I got hit with a bunch of calls and texts on Wednesday did I realize there was a, um, controversy of sorts. Since I was sitting three feet from the court — unlike the vast majority of media who have actually commented about this, despite not having been in the building/city/state — when the dunk happened, I guess I should chime in. Here go:

Jordan Crawford dunked on LeBron James. Yes, this really happened! It was a nice dunk — not remotely in the Carter on Weiss category, not even close — but a nice dunk nonetheless. LeBron wasn’t playing anywhere near full-speed, but he was still out there competing, and he got caught by a great play from a talented young college player. No excuses.

I did not see any sign of LeBron asking a Nike rep to get rid of the tapes. He could have, certainly, but if he did, I and everyone (except the now-unavoidable cameraman, of course) missed it.

I know that the amount of misinformation already printed on the topic — the Nike rep is named “Lenny,” “Lynn,” or “Larry,” depending on who you read; LeBron was dunked on by a high school kid, as opposed to a kid who played his senior year of high school ball in 2006; or the fact that they were in the midst of a “two-hour game”, as opposed to a first-to-seven run that finished in about 15 minutes — might make sensible observers doubt the veracity of the charges.

Certainly, I recognize the shortsighted stupidity of whoever thought it would be a good idea to hide the visual evidence of a dunk that was witnessed by multiple media reps. Certainly nobody asked me not to write about the dunk. Certainly it wasn’t hard to predict that a lot more people are now writing about it than actually saw it happen. Certainly somebody blew this.

Sadly, we’ll probably never know the truth. You’ll just have to hold yourself with this.

Funny side note to all this: Before the game starts, LeBron is getting stretched out on the floor a few feet from me. We bullsh*t for a minute—he asks me who I like in camp; I tell him who our next Diary writer is, and he mentions having talked to Coach K the other day about the very same kid—and then he focuses on getting loose for the game. Not long after, a trailing crew of family and friends come in, LeBron’s sons among them. Watching him surrounded by familiar faces, playing with his kids like any dad would, I’m thinking how even the most relentless haters would have a hard time not liking the dude if they saw him in this setting.

Oh well.

Later, while the games goes on, the James boys play with some other kids right behind where I’m sitting. At one point, one of the other kids asks Bron’s oldest, “What’s your name?”

“LeBron James,” LeBron James Jr. says.

The other kid laughs. “What’s your name?”

Jr. pauses before answering again. “L-E-B-R-O-N J-A-M-E-S.”

This is funny.

You know what else is funny? While the rest of us get angry or excited or sport wood over DunkGate ’09, LeBron is hanging out in Idaho with all the richest white people in the Western World. Seriously — it’s just Bron and a bunch of pale 50-year-old millionaires, chilling in Sun Valley.

I love this game.

*

Tuesday morning college drills. Some thoughts:

–Kyle Singler does everything pretty well. Hustles, too. He’s just not really great at anything, is he?

-I really like Patrick Christopher. If he could learn to play the point — which I don’t put past him — I could see him at the next level.

–Greivis Vasquez always seems to be looking for the sick pass. He just doesn’t always find it.

-DeShawn Sims and Manny Harris both look really good this week. No doubt Michigan fans would like to see them look really good a little more consistently. Having seen their squad on both side of 20-point spreads against my Nittany Lions last year, I can vouch for the inconsistency.

-Listed at 6-10 and 217, VCU junior Larry Sanders has plenty of room for both improvement and extra weight. But he’s one of those long, active dudes who you could seeing figuring it out. And yes, I just said that.

*

Later Tuesday, the high school kids are back to playing games, which is great. Thoughts:

-JT Terrell doing it again, hitting a baseline runner and then a spot-up three on back-to-back possessions. He’s going to Wake. They’re going to like him.

-You’ll read a lot about how Harrison Barnes’ game is really smooth, but here’s the thing: Harrison Barnes’ game is really smooth.

-Chicago’s Mike Shaw doing good things from the wing.

-Go end to end and finish with a two-handed dunk, and you get your name in the paper. Nice work, Trey Ziegler of Michigan.

-Michael Gilchrist hasn’t made as noisy an impact as he did last year, or at so many other events, but get that dude in the open court with the ball in his hands and he does pretty much anything he wants.

-Hit back-to-back threes with a hand in your eye — especially when you’re listed at 5-6 — and you get your name in the paper. Well played, Ahmad Starks of the Chi.

*

The college guys are back running Tuesday night, with a little bit of help from… Craig Ehlo? One of the returning coach/instructors from last year, Ehlo briefly jumped into one of the fullcourt runs with the 20-somethings. Thankfully for his sake, it doesn’t last long.

-There’s Patrick Christopher again, with back-to-back threes. Did I mention there are a lot of NBA scouts here this week? Somebody’s gotta find a position for this dude by next June.

-Jordan Crawford makes a couple of plays, but since LeBron’s not on the court, nobody cares. Shame.

-Tulsa 7-footer Jerome Jordan matches up with VCU’s Sanders, which is fun to watch: Two raw, long-ass dudes testing each other. Either could have a future in the L with a little more polish.

*

The semi/pro run picks up again Tuesday night, with a distinctly Akron/Cleveland flavor: Bron’s running with former high school teammates Romeo Travis, Dru Joyce (also pro balling in Europe), Brandon Weems and Maverick Carter, along with his pro teammates Green, Eyenga, Kinsey, Darnell Jackson and Mo Williams. The other guy on the floor for a stretch is Jakarr Sampson, a 6-6 junior-to-be at St. Vincent-St. Mary. He gets stuffed a couple times by Eyenga, and he laughs after both of them. Mostly, he looks very comfortable on the floor. This kid’s gonna be alright.

Also worth noting: Darnell Jackson’s nickname appears to be “Block.”

*

Wednesday morning, everything shifts to Cleveland State University’s Wolstein Center in downtown Cleveland, where we’re officially attending the King City Classic. It’s all the same kids who were in Akron, of course, but for NCAA certification purposes (there were no college coaches allowed in Akron), it’s a different event. Today, the college coaches are out en masse. I was gonna list them by name, but put it like this: Every college coach you’ve ever heard of — including, yes, Isiah Thomas — is in the building.

Regarding the college coaches, just one observation: Roy Williams’ offseason tan is absurd.

To the courts:

-Harrison Barnes does it at both ends.

-Tennessee commit Josh Selby shines on three straight possessions: Leading and dishing nicely on the break, finishing another break with a one-handed flush, wetting a three in a halfcourt set. Like I said.

-Juwan Staten is still playing well.

-Selby, again and again — a drive and pull-up from 17 feet, and a lovely skip pass on the break to set up a teammate for an easy two. Nice work by Bruce Pearl on this one.

–Jared Sullinger—who I probably haven’t written enough about, but who at 6-9, 260-something, is probably the best pure big in the building—backs down his man for a put-back of his own missed bunny. Selby, walking back upcourt, breaks it down. “Damn. He’s a big boy, though.” The Columbus product is staying home for college. He’s gonna kill my boys in 2010-11.

-Another Baltimore product, 6-7 CJ Fair, is making his points here. In short order, he sinks a contested three, then gets back in transition to cleanly block Barnes at the basket.

-Barnes is having a great morning, finishing the first half of his team’s first game by breaking down three defenders for a two-handed dunk, popping up for a dead-on three, and hustling back on D to break up a 3-on-2 break. Late in the game, he draws an “Oh!” from the spectators with a strong one-handed follow dunk, a play that’s sandwiched in between almost identical transition alleys to Selby, who finishes both with reverse two-handed oops. These two are running things, and their team wins by about 30.

-I have to say it: Alex Kirk is a 6-9 big from Los Alamos, NM. His game is sub-atomic.

-Gilchrist continues to have a very strong but comparatively quiet week, with occasional exceptions like this one: defensive rebound, fullcourt dribble, two-handed finish. Man among boys, and he’s still only a junior.

-New York state banger Tobias Harris likes contact. In a short span, he finishes a pair of and-ones — one at the rim, the other a baseline runner.

-Ooh, Crandall Head. Yes, he’s Luther’s little brother. Yes, he’s going to Illinois (along with like 17 other kids at camp, seemingly — Bruce Weber is hustling). And yes, he just threw a spinning no-look pass on the break to set up an easy layup.

-Oh, my goodness, Justin Anderson. Play of the week right here: A defensive rebound in traffic. End-to-end dribble. A one-handed rise and finish all over the 6-8 Oyedeji, who got greedy looking for another block. Hell of a play. Did I mention that Anderson, a wing from Maryland, is 6-4? And he’s going to be a sophomore?

–Dion Waiters makes his case to be Ben Osborne’s new favorite player: The sturdy 6-3 guard from Philly loves to post up lighter guards, especially on the baseline. City game right there.

-It happens every year: A guy who doesn’t do anything noteworthy while I’m actually watching him ends up having a great camp. This year, that guy seems to be Marquis Teague, Jeff’s little brother and a really aggressive 6-2 guard from Indy.

*

Lunch at some spot in downtown Cleveland, chosen because it’s got patio seating and the weather is perfect. I’m sitting at a table in the middle of the patio. At the three tables directly around me are: Ben Howland, Bob Huggins, and Louisville assistant Walter McCarty. Gotta love summer basketball.

*

Back at the gym…

-Jersey boy Myck Kabongo hits back-to-back threes from the corner.

-Selby. Barnes. Barnes. Selby.

-Did I mention I love JT Terrell? I think I did, but let me mention it again. I love JT Terrell. On consecutive possessions, he rises over two bigger players for a put-back, then wets a three. A minute later, he stops and pops from mid-range. Plus, again, he’s rocking the fade.

–Cameron Clark of Sherman, TX earns a mention with some work in the second half of a close game: A nasty one-handed follow dunk, and, later, a tough baseline jumper.

-Barnes. Selby. Repeat.

*

And then I have to leave, meaning I miss the camp’s final Thursday morning sessions; expect Rodger Bohn to pick up where I left off with a follow-up post soon.